No free BN radios for Sarawak rural folk, says deputy minister

PAKAN (Sarawak), Dec 1 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) in Sarawak will not give out free transistor radios to the people, especially those in rural areas, for campaigning purposes before the coming general election.

Deputy Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang said this was because since its formation in 1973, the BN had been synonymous with the country’s rapid development, progress and prosperity.

The opposition in Sarawak is giving radios to rural folk. — Picture courtesy of www.flickr.com/photos/

Its administration too had been very fair, inclusive, caring and pragmatic in its services to the people, he told reporters after attending a Mesra Rakyat gathering at the Rumah Dunggok Megong longhouse in Tubai Buah, Pedanum near here last night.

Salang was commenting on a move by the opposition, namely PKR and the Sarawak Worker’s Party (SWP), to distribute radios to rural folk.

The state has two private radio stations, Free Sarawak Radio (FSR) and Radio Kenyalang, which broadcast in the Iban language.

Radio Kenyalang was set up by SWP while PKR encourages its supporters to tune in to the daily evening broadcast of Free Sarawak Radio which is always taking up issues against the government and its leaders.

Earlier, Salang took the deejays of the FSR station to task for their penchant for endless criticism of the state’s elected Dayak leaders.

“I am sure Radio Kenyalang deejays are going to follow a similar trend. This is ridiculous and a great injustice to the Dayak community,” he said at the gathering jointly organised by Kemas from the Julau and Pakan areas and the Prime Minister’s Department.

“I feel people have to think twice to listen to them. I am not saying they are wrong but if they have been so successful, and better off than those they criticised, we should listen to them,” he said.

He said two of the deejays had lost their bids to get elected in previous state elections in the Layar and Katibas constituencies and now they were passing judgment on the performances of those who had won.

On the coming elections, Salang again reminded the people that only the BN could help them to achieve a better standard of living. — Bernama